Ashlander: An Elder Scrolls Fiction
by Deathknoll19
Summary: The hard life a young Dunmer takes a dramatic turn when the infamous Red Mountain erupts, destroying most of his homeland and possibly his family. While leading a band of would-be adventurers, Wahren stumbles onto a plot against his very world. Wahren is determined now to find his family (dead or alive) and uncover the secretes of Red Mountain and this new threat.
1. The Cave

Author Notes: So this is my very first story. I would love as much feedback as possible. FYI: updates may be a little slow. I am a busy college student and I am also still ironing out what I really want from this story. Let me know what you think. These four characters are young, the oldest being only twelve years of age, but still ever adventurous. I hope you enjoy!

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"It's so dark in here," echoed a young voice.

"Oh! I stepped in something!" cried another.

One of the four children, a Dunmer named Wahren, hushed the both of them. "Stop crying about every little thing, you guys. We're nearly there." His red eyes pierced back at the two would-be adventurers, peeking just above the scarf pulled up to his nose.

He stared at his clumsy friends and smirked. The Nord, Garm, was scrapping what looked like moss of the bottom of his footwraps while Kharin, the young Khajiit cub pinched his nose to protect from a stench only he seemed to smell.

"Where are you taking us?" asked the young Dunmer girl, the only girl in their group

"I told you, Adelei," he explained, "I found a really cool spot in this cave while I was out yesterday."

"Well?" questioned one of the other boys, "Are we almost there then? I'm getting kind of hungry."

Wahren rolled his eyes. "You're always hungry Garm."

The others chuckled while they made their way down the damp corridors of the cave.

"Look! We made it!" cried Wahren.

The others looked around in wonder as the cave opened up in a vast grotto with glistening streams and lush gardens.

"Whoa, Wahren," said the cub, "you weren't kidding about this place."

"It's beautiful!" exclaimed the Adelei.

The four young adventurers ventured into the grotto, eyes widened by the wonder that surrounded them. Garm grabbed things that looked like fruit off the small trees. Kharin sat crossed-legged in the center of a field of flowers, taking in the pleasing aromas that surrounded him. Adelei skipped into the waters of a shallow stream. She was the youngest of the group. Wahren stood as a tower, watching over his friends.

"How long has it been?" Adelei asked standing in the cool water.

"Since I last saw them?" he replied.

"Yah. My pa told me that it's been a long time but he won't tell me any more than that."

Wahren looked toward the ground as he thought back on the last time he saw his parents and brother.

"Well?" she urged on, suddenly standing next to him.

"About three years. It was just before the mountain on Vvardenfell erupted."

"Oh," she sighed as she realized the pain it brought him to talk about his past. "I'm so sorry, Ren." The two young Dark Elves sat down by the bank of the streams.

"My father had let me go with my uncle to deliver goods to Cyrodiil by way of Cheydinhal."

"That's a long way from Kragenmoor." stated Kharin. Garm and Kharin had noticed the two sit down by the small creek and decided to join them.

"Well both my parents had wanted me to see the White Gold Tower, but they needed to go to Vivec on official business with the Temple. So my brother went with them and I traveled to Cyrodiil with my uncle Rowan. It took us about a week to reach Cheydinhal, but when we arrived, couriers were raving of news that the Red Mountain had erupted. Upon hearing the news, uncle had dropped to his knees and cursed the gods. I think that's what scared me the most."

"What about you, Ren," asked the Nordling. "I mean, what about your parents?"

"I don't know Garm. We had received news that many of the cities bordering the coasts evacuated as the mountain exploded, but even then there was so much destruction and death in all of Morrowind."

"So you don't know if they survived?" Adelei asked with hope in her eyes.

Wahren looked at the ground. "I don't know, Adelei." He looked up at her and let out a smile. "Maybe they're out there somewhere. All I have to do is go look for them."

There was a long silence while the four sat around a small, quickly-made fire.


	2. The Chill

"We should probably be getting back home." Wahren stood up over the others. He reached down and helped the young girl to her feet. "The headmistress won't like that we've been gone this long." He motioned for the others to get up and start toward the exit.

The young band of adventurers lived in a river city in the southeastern corner of Skyrim. Riften has been home to many Nord orphans over its existence, but now the streets are busy with Dunmer refugees who fled from Morrowind after the eruption of Dagoth Ur.

"Oh," sighed Adelei, "My pa will kill me when I get home."

"How late do you think it is?" asked Kharin. "I feel like we've been here for hours."

"Guys, I'm hungry again." Garm wrapped his arms around his stomach.

The four young travelers made their way to the opening archway that led into the grotto. When they arrived at the exit, Wahren noticed something strange about the mouth of the archway. "Something's different," he whispered with a worried look.

"Did you say something, Ren?" asked the girl. The three looked at Wahren intently as he gazed into the corridor.

"What?" he looked back suddenly. "No, I didn't, just follow me." He led the group into the dark path.

Kharin burned his eyes into the Dunmer, knowing that something wasn't right. After taking a few turns and following where the cave led them, Wahren stopped and gave a puzzled look. "This isn't the way out," said the Khajiit. Adelei and Garm spun around in astonishment.

"What do you mean?!" questioned Garm. "How can we be lost? This is the same way we came, isn't it?"

Wahren turned around several times, pondering how this could have happened. "This should be the same path, but..."

_You should not be here_

An instant chill surrounded the young adventurers. All heard the voice echoing through the caves. They stood there in silence, unable to bring themselves to do or say anything.

_Turn back. A dark presence fills this place. Go back and hide in the grotto._

"Who are you?!" questioned Wahren. The silence discouraged him.

"I'm scared!" Adelei was crying and nearly collapsed to the ground. Garm caught her before she could fall.

"We should do what she says," declared the Khajiit.

"Are you joking?" the Nord opposed Kharin's suggestion. "This thing is probably trying to get us killed!"

"We have no where to go but back, Garm! Back to the clearing! What do you say we do?"

Kharin and Garm argued back and forth, Adelei's face in her hands as tears slipped through her fingers. Wahren, still unable to comprehend what is happening, stands there silent among the group.

"Ren?" there was pause. "Ren?!" Adelei cried. "What should we do?"

The elf shuddered as if frozen in ice.

_Lead them back to the grotto, young_ _one. _He could hear the voice again. The others seemed oblivious as they stared at him.

_Hide them in the thickets south of the opening. Do not move until the men have left._

"What men?" he whispered to himself.

"What was that, Ren?" Kharin seemed angry. The Khajiit could tell that Wahren was hearing the voice.

"Nothing. We need to go back, there's no way out this way."

"What?" said the Nord sharply. "We can't go back! We need to get out of these caves!"

"You need to trust me, Garm, now lets go!" The Nord picked up Adelei and the four terrified adventurers turned back and made it to the grotto.

"What do we do now?" he said discouragingly.

"I smell something, Ren," Kharin said in a low voice. His nose twitched as he was searching for its origin.

"Quickly," the Dark Elf ushered them along, "over here." He led them to a small patch of thick bushes. "Now stay down, I'm going to look around." The rest of them tried to convince him to stay, Adelei clinging to his arm; but Wahren slipped away and ran deeper into the glade.

"What does she want from us?" He asked himself. "Who or what is in here with us?"

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**What sinister evil lurks in the depths? Is this mysterious voice a friend, or is it luring them into a trap? Find out in the third and final section of this exciting prologue! See you next time!**


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